Hidden Treasure: The Story of a Chore Boy Who Made the Old Farm PaySimpson, John Thomas
Science
Hidden Treasure: The Story of a Chore Boy Who Made the Old Farm Pay
Simpson, John Thomas
Farm life
On the way home from the Fair on Friday afternoon, the animals from
Brookside Farm fell in behind those of the Wallace Farm. Alex Wallace
was looking after their flock of Merino sheep, in which there was an
old buck, and had with him their Scotch collie dog "Don." Bob was
looking after his flock of Southdown sheep, which he had driven close
behind Alex, so the boys could talk to each other back and forth as
they went along.
After a while Alex got tired turning his head around to hear what Bob
had to say, for the noise of the clattering feet of the sheep on the
concrete road made it difficult for him to hear, so he left his dog
"Don" between the two flocks and came back and joined Bob.
They proceeded thus for about a quarter of a mile when suddenly Jerry,
the Southdown buck of Bob's flock, started forward and all the others
followed, so that the two flocks became merged into one. As Bob rushed
forward to separate them, the two bucks stepped up to each other and
placed their heads together, when Alex, seeing Bob trying to separate
them, shouted:
"That's right, Bob, take your big fellow away or mine will kill him."
The remark angered Bob, whereupon he ceased his efforts and said:
"Well, if you think that little runt of yours can kill ours, I guess
we had better let them fight it out." "All right," said Alex; "I'm
satisfied."
So the two boys stood still while the two bucks placed their heads
together, then stepped slowly backwards until they were on opposite
sides of the road, where they stood looking at each other. The ewes
crowded back and left an open space between them and stood as intently
interested as the boys, waiting the coming battle.
After the bucks had paused for a moment, they lowered their heads and
rushed at each other. Now, it must be remembered that a Southdown buck
stands very much higher than one of the Merino breed, which is rather
short in the legs and set close to the ground. Also that the Southdown
had been used to associating with sheep of his own size; consequently
when he lowered his head to strike, he did not take into account that
the Merino was so much lower than himself. This gave the Merino the
advantage, and, instead of the Merino striking his adversary on the
hard skull as the latter expected he would do, he struck him on the
point of the nose, breaking Jerry's neck.
Both boys were horrified to see Bob's prize-winning buck lying dead in
the road, and while they looked at him speechless, Tony, who was
coming along behind with some of the cattle, rushed forward and
quickly turned him into mutton, while Bob with a heavy heart went on
to the farm with the others.
It was not necessary for Bob to explain the fight to his uncle, who
came along the road shortly behind him and to whom Tony explained the
accident.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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